Field device digital twins in process control and automation systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12554236-B2
Application number	US-202318223359-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 18, 2023
Priority date	Jul 18, 2022
Publication date	Feb 17, 2026
Grant date	Feb 17, 2026

Abstract

A process control or automation system configured to control a plurality of process control or automation field devices in a process, includes a compute fabric executing a plurality of instantiated micro-encapsulated execution environments (MEEEs) that cooperate to control the process. Each of the plurality of field devices operates to sense a parameter of the process and output the sensed parameter of the process to an input of the compute fabric and/or to affect a parameter of the process according to an input received from the compute fabric. The system also includes a plurality of digital twin services, each instantiated as one or more of the plurality of instantiated MEEEs, each having an associated one or group of field devices, and each operable to mimic non-physical operation of the one or group of field devices.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A process control or automation system (PCAS) controlling a plurality of process control or automation field devices in a process, the PCAS comprising:
a compute fabric executing a plurality of instantiated micro-encapsulated execution environments (MEEEs) that cooperate to control the process; the plurality of field devices, each operating to:
sense a parameter of the process and output the sensed parameter of the process to an input of the compute fabric; and/or
affect a parameter of the process according to an input received from the compute fabric;
a plurality of digital twin services, each instantiated as one or more of the plurality of instantiated MEEEs, each of the digital twin services having an associated one or group of field devices and each operable to:
mimic non-physical operation of the one or group of field devices, the non-physical operation including at least processing and data storage;
send data to and/or receive data from one or more control algorithms instantiated in the compute fabric such that the control algorithms executing to control the process operate as though the control algorithms were communicating with a corresponding one of the plurality of field devices; and
send data to and/or receive data from the corresponding one of the plurality of field devices such that control is effected.

2 . A PCAS according to claim 1 , further comprising, communicatively disposed between each of the one or group of field devices and the compute fabric, a plurality of media converter devices, each of the media converter devices operating to:
packetize data received from one or more of the plurality of field devices to which the media converter is connected and transmit the packetized data to the corresponding digital twin services on the compute fabric; and to receive, from the digital twin services on the compute fabric, packetized data, and provide the data to corresponding field devices in a native communication media of the respective field device.

3 . A PCAS according to claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of media converter devices is communicatively disposed between at least one of the one or more of the plurality of field devices and an on-site gateway device facilitating secure communication between the media converter and the compute fabric.

4 . A PCAS system according to claim 1 , wherein each of the digital twin services is further operable to:
determine that a parameter value received by the digital twin service from the associated one or group of field devices is unreliable; and provide to the one or more control algorithms a most recent reliable parameter value until the parameter value is determined to be reliable.

5 . A PCAS according to claim 1 , wherein each of the digital twin services is further operable to:
determine that a parameter value received by the digital twin service from the associated one or group of field devices is unreliable; execute a simulation module to simulate the parameter value determined to be unreliable; and provide to the one or more control algorithms a simulated parameter value until the parameter value is determined to be reliable.

6 . A PCAS according to claim 1 , wherein each of the digital twin services is further operable to provide to the one or more control algorithms a most recent reliable parameter value when the associated one or group of field devices is unresponsive or fails to provide timely data.

7 . A PCAS according to claim 1 , wherein each of the digital twin services is further operable to:
determine that the one or group of field devices is unresponsive or failing to provide timely data; execute a simulation module to simulate one or more parameter values associated with the one or group of field devices that is unresponsive or failing to provide timely data; and provide to the one or more control algorithms the one or more simulated parameter values until the one or group of field devices that is unresponsive or failing to provide timely data becomes responsive and provides timely data.

8 . A PCAS according to claim 1 , wherein each of the digital twin services is communicatively coupled to the one or more control algorithms via a physical I/O card.

9 . A PCAS according to claim 1 , wherein each of the digital twin services is communicatively coupled to the one or more control algorithms via an I/O service instantiated on the compute fabric as an MEEE.

10 . A PCAS according to claim 1 , wherein each of the digital twin services is further operable, using at least data received from corresponding one of the plurality of field devices, to predict a future state of the process and/or to predict a future state of the corresponding one of the plurality of field devices.

11 . A PCAS according to claim 1 , wherein a one of the digital twin services is operable, using data from the associated one or group of the plurality of field devices, to determine one or more soft sensor values.

12 . A method of controlling a process control or automation system (PCAS), the method comprising:
instantiating in a compute fabric a first plurality of micro-encapsulated execution environments (MEEEs) that cooperate to execute a control algorithm to control a plurality of physical field devices in the PCAS; instantiating in the compute fabric a plurality of second MEEEs, each of the second MEEEs executing a digital twin of a corresponding physical field device; communicatively coupling each of the second MEEEs to one or more of the first plurality of MEEEs and to the corresponding physical field device; receiving at each of the second MEEEs, from the corresponding physical field devices, one or more parameters, and updating each second MEEE to mimic the non-physical operation of the corresponding physical field device; sending from each of the second MEEEs, to one or more of the first MEEEs, the one or more parameters received from the corresponding physical field device, thereby allowing the first MEEEs to execute the control algorithm; and sending from each of the second MEEEs, to the corresponding physical field devices, data received from the one or more first MEEEs such that control is effected.

13 . A method according to claim 12 , further comprising:
coupling each of the physical field devices in the PCAS to a media converter configured to packetize data received from the respective physical field device to which the media converter is connected and transmit the packetized data to a corresponding digital twin service on the compute fabric.

14 . A method according to claim 12 , wherein transmitting the packetized data to a corresponding second MEEE on the compute fabric comprises transmitting the packetized data to an on-site gateway device facilitating secure communication between the media converter and the compute fabric.

15 . A method according to claim 12 , further comprising:
determining that a parameter value received by the second MEEE from the respective corresponding physical field device is unreliable; and providing to the one or more first MEEEs a most recent reliable parameter value until the parameter value is determined to be reliable.

16 . A method according to claim 12 , further comprising:
determining in a second MEEE that a parameter value received by the second MEEE from the corresponding physical field device is unreliable; executing a simulation module to simulate the parameter value determined to be unreliable; and providing to the one or more first MEEEs a simulated parameter value until the parameter value is

Assignees

• Fisher Rosemount Systems Inc

Inventors

• Capoccia Brian M
• Lamothe Brian
• Doraiswamy Narayanan
• Nixon Mark J
• Fayad Claudio
• Nanda Mickey
• Jones Aaron C
• Hartmann Peter
• Law Gary K

Classifications

• H04L63/08

  for authentication of entities (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32) · CPC title

• H04L63/0428

  wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload · CPC title

• G05B2219/31368

  MAP manufacturing automation protocol · CPC title

• G05B19/41835

  characterised by program execution · CPC title

• G05B19/41885

  characterised by modeling, simulation of the manufacturing system · CPC title